Rumour: Ciaz facelift to get bigger engines, shift to Nexa

Thank you to BHPians RavenAvi, BoneCollector and Dr.Naren for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is expected to get its mid-life facelift in April 2017. With the scheduled update, Maruti is reportedly planning to plonk a 1.6-litre diesel and a 1.5-litre petrol engine in the sedan. The company is also expected to shift the Ciaz from its regular dealerships to the NEXA dealership chain. Regular MSIL dealers have reportedly been asked to run through their Ciaz stocks before the facelift's scheduled launch.

The Ciaz has been a widely appreciated product, and with the introduction of the mild-hybrid SHVS technology, it has been giving a tough competition to the Honda City. However, the most common complaints about the Ciaz revolve around its relatively underpowered engine options. The sedan is currently available with a 1.3-litre diesel engine rated at 89 BHP and 200 Nm and a 1.4-litre petrol that churns out 91 BHP and 130 Nm of torque.

In order to overcome this limitation, Maruti appears to be planning to offer a 1.6-litre diesel as an option. This is the same engine that powers the S-Cross DDiS 320. In the crossover, it generates 118 BHP and 320 Nm of torque, while being mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Maruti will likely offer the 1.6-litre unit with a top-end variant, while the lower trim levels will continue to be powered by the 1.3-litre engine.

Meanwhile, the petrol variants might get a new 1.5-litre unit, which will replace the current 1.4-litre engine. This new engine will likely be Suzuki's M15 unit that displaces 1,490cc and churns out 99 BHP and 133 Nm of torque.